Volume 8, Issue 083 - April 27, 2005

Hello Recipe Club,

103 Wednesday: Today, we will talk about Herbs and Spices.

I have gotten so many letters asking me to attack this subject. Is there a difference between the two and if so, what is it? Sure there is a difference, but it is more important to get to know the flavor and aromas of each and use them in an appropriate dish.

Herbs are the leaves of plants that grow in moderately temperate climates, while spices are the fruits, bark, buds, flowers and roots of trees and plants that are most typically grown in tropical areas.

I'm not going to give you a big chart to print out on each and every herb and spice on the planet in this issue, but I will give you a link to the one we have on Chef2Chef.net. There is a list here as long as your arm. Each herb or spice on the list has a link to its own page with spellings in many languages, descriptions, uses, photos and more. It's a very comprehensive list. Once you click on the following link, add the page to your favorites, so you have the database at your fingertips. Herbs and Spices

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Here are some tips about buying and storing herbs and spices. The bad news is that probably most of the spices in your cabinet are old and have lost much of their original quality. I'm guilty too! Properly stored in opaque containers away from heat, light and moisture, your spices will last about 6 months.

Am I suggesting that you empty the ol' spice cabinet and start over. No! But take a look for discolored or lumpy products. If your parsley flakes or chives are YELLOW, it's time for them to go! Is your Chili Powder looking a little ORANGE! You get the point. Remember too that, if you've been using old herbs and spices and you replace them with new fresh ones, the same amount in your recipe will produce a stronger flavor with the good ones.

How to buy herbs and spices is something we should address. Please don't hold on to your pennies here. Buy the best quality you can find and buy only what you'll use in six months or so.  Another thing to remember is that whole spices will keep their flavor longer than ground, but still lose flavor after the six month period. There are companies online where you can buy your spices and if you use a lot of a particular spice you might find some great deals online. There are so many great seasoning blends available today. Chef's like Paul Prudhomme are making small fortunes marketing their seasoning blends. There are many other companies as well and we have a number of them in our Seasonings category in our Market Place. Market Place

General Tips:

Look at the spice chart mentioned above, then inspect your herbs and spices, checking for color, texture and aroma. Get familiar with how they smell and look. It will help you. When I was in Culinary School, they made us identify over 100 herbs and spices by site and smell alone!

Whole herbs and spices used in sauce making should be wrapped in a piece of cheesecloth for removal later. The flavor will be there but not the products.

When you are not sure how much of something to add, go slow at first.

Herbs and Spices added to cold foods should be added hours ahead of time, so their flavors will be released.

Whenever possible use fresh from your garden or the store. As soon as you get your fresh herbs from the garden or from a supplier, tie them in bunches at the stems. Plunge them upside down, holding by the tied stem, into cool water two or three times to remove dirt and silt. Shake them gently and pat them dry with a paper towel.

Place them, stem down into a narrow container that will hold them upright. Add cool water to cover the stems by an inch and a half and wrap with plastic wrap or a plastic bag. Chill at once. Cleaned and stored this way in a cold (34 to 36 degree) cooler, they should remain flavorful and crisp for at least a week.

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Mussels Steamed in Orange Juice with Basil

A colorful first course with a dipping sauce made from its own cooking broth. Pour any remaining sauce over leftover rice for an additional bonus.

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients:

1 large navel orange
2 tablespoons finely minced fresh basil
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pinch of black pepper
16 large mussels, scrubbed and beards removed
1//3 cup of water
1 tablespoon finely minced shallots
fresh basil leaves

Preparation:

Grate the orange rind and reserve. Cut 1 thin slice from the middle of the orange and cut it into little triangles, reserve. Juice the remaining orange.

In a large skillet that has a lid, mix the minced basil, oil, pepper, mussels, water, shallots, orange juice and half the grated rind. Cover the pan and bring to a boil and steam for a few minutes until the mussels open.

Remove the mussels with a slotted spoon and toss the ones that didn't open. Place them on a plate that in lined with fresh basil and the orange triangles. Sprinkle the remaining orange rind on top and serve with the sauce from the pan in a small dish.

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Sliced Tomato, Basil and Blue Cheese Plate

A summertime favorite at our house.

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients:

2 large ripe tomatoes
2 ounces of crumbled blue cheese
balsamic vinegar
olive oil
4 large basil leaves
a couple fresh chives
salt and freshly cracked peppercorns

Preparation:

Slice the tomatoes thinly and arrange in a circular pattern on a dinner plate. Sprinkle the top with the blue cheese and drizzle with the vinegar first, then the olive oil.  With a pair of scissors cut the basil into thin strips and sprinkle over the top. 

Then cut the scallions into thin pieces and top with those. Add a tiny sprinkle of salt and a hearty grind of the peppermill. Serve in the center of the table.

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Oriental Style Fish with Cilantro and Ginger

Serve with steamed white rice.

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons sesame oil
4 each 6 ounce fish filets, your favorite, but a white fleshed fish is best
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon gingerroot, peeled and minced
1/4 cup finely sliced scallions
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Preparation:

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

Brush a shallow glass oven dish with 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil. Place the fish into the dish in a single layer. No over-lapping.

In a small bowl mix the remaining oil, with the vinegar, soy sauce and ginger. Pour it over the fish and bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the fish is done and firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and serve right from the dish. Garnish with the scallions and cilantro.